If you’ve ever fancied yourself as a spy and want to find a way out of debt then a new government scheme could see you burning the midnight oil as you stake out the neighbours from your living room window.
In a new attempt to clamp down on fraudsters, the government are asking people to become vigilant to the comings and going of their neighbours. Any suspicious activity should be witnessed and reported. Crimes which should be monitored could involve the illegal selling of duty free alcohol and cigarettes, benefit cheats and those who deal in drugs and stolen goods.
If you want to be the eyes and ears of your community, you have to provide concrete evidence of your neighbours misconduct and provide photographs or video footage. You could enjoy the fruits of your labour by receiving a large cash award which could be as high as 30 percent of the amount proven to have been illegally obtained by your neighbour. Some ministers are even suggesting that possessions which have been obtained through crime could even be passed on to the informant including luxury goods such as plasma TVs or flashy cars.
But are the British prepared to spy on their neighbours?
It is hard to watch honest, hard working citizens struggling with debt when some people lie and cheat their way to the top but are we bitter enough to risk the fear of persecution for telling on our neighbours? In one way, it is easier for a neighbour to obtain the evidence that authorities would find difficult to acquire, but on the other hand, some people could go too far and bug homes or even stalk the family next door.
